Initial Measurements of Plasma Potential in the Core of the MST Reversed Field Pinch with a Heavy Ion Beam Probe

Measurement of the plasma potential in the core of MST marks both the first interior potential measurements in an RFP, as well as the first measurements by a Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP) in an RFP. The HIBP has operated with (20-110) keV sodium beams in plasmas with toroidal currents of (200-480) kA over a wide range of densities and magnetic equilibrium conditions. A positive plasma potential is measured in the core, consistent with the expectation of rapid electron transport by magnetic fluctuations and the formation of an outwardly directed ambipolar radial electric field. Comparison between the radial electric field and plasma flow is underway to determine the extent to which equilibrium flow is governed by E×B. Measurements of potential and density fluctuations are also in progress.Unlike HIBP applications in tokamak plasmas, the beam trajectories in MST (RFP) are both three-dimensional and temporally dynamic with magnetic equilibrium changes associated with sawteeth. This complication offers new opportunity for magnetic measurements via the Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP). The ion orbit trajectories are included in a Grad-Shafranov toroidal equilibrium reconstruction, helping to measure the internal magnetic field and current profiles. Such reconstructions are essential to identifying the beam sample volume locations, and they are vital in MST's mission to suppress MHD tearing modes using current profile control techniques. Measurement of the electric field may be accomplished by combining single point measurements from multiple discharges, or by varying the injection angle of the beam during single discharges.The application of an HIBP on MST has posed challenges resulting in additional diagnostic advances. The requirement to keep ports small to avoid introducing magnetic field perturbations has led to the design and successful implementation of cross-over sweep systems. High levels of ultraviolet radiation are driving alternative methods of sweep plate operation. While, substantial levels of plasma flux into the HIBP diagnostic chambers has led to the use of magnetic plasma suppression.     

大气湍流对径向分布高斯列阵光束扩展和方向性的影响

采用积分变换的技巧,推导出了径向分布高斯列阵光束通过湍流大气传输的二阶矩束宽和远场发散角的解析公式,并详细研究了大气湍流对光束扩展和方向性的影响.研究表明,相干合成情况下,子光束数N越小、径向分布半径r₀越大,列阵光束扩展受湍流影响越小.相干较非相干合成时列阵光束的扩展小,但非相干合成时列阵光束扩展受湍流的影响比相干合成时的小.特别地,N足够小或r₀足够大时,相干与非相干合成列阵光束的远场束宽相等.另一方面,还给出了相干和非相干合成径向分布高斯列阵 关键词： 径向分布高斯列阵光束 大气湍流 相干和非相干合成 二阶矩束宽     

Turbulence distance of radial Gaussian Schell-model array beams

The effect of turbulence on the spreading of radial Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) array beams is studied quantitatively by examining the mean-squared beam width. The analytical expression for the turbulence distance z _T of radial GSM array beams is derived by using the integral transform technique, which indicates within what ranges radial GSM array beams will be less affected by turbulence. It is shown that the effect of turbulence on the spreading of radial GSM array beams can be reduced by choosing the suitable array beam parameters and the type of the beam superposition. In addition, a comparison with the previous work is also made.     

Construction and study of a magnetoactive plasma ion source

The interaction of intense electron beams with plasmas in a nonuniform magnetic field is studied for the purpose of obtaining a magnetoactive plasma ion source. The resulting experimental data are used to trace the dynamics of the changes in the basic parameters of the source, both during the stage where it interacts with the beam and in the cooling stage. It is found that the charged particles are contained for a long time and that the efficiency of energy transfer from the beam to the source is high. This source is intended to be used for shaping and accelerating multiampere ion beams. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 44–47 (April 1999)     

Transverse modulation of an electron beam generated in self-modulated laser wakefield accelerator experiments

Low energy electron beams (E approximately 300 keV) generated in a self-modulated laser wakefield accelerator experiment were observed to filament and be deflected away from the laser axis forming radial jets in the electron beam profile. At higher energies (E>900 keV), the filamentation and jets were suppressed and smooth electron beams copropagating with the laser were observed. The observed electron beam filamentation likely results from laser beam filamentation in the plasma due to relativistic self-focusing effects. The radial jets of low energy electrons are likely caused by transverse ejection of the electrons due to the radial structure of the wakefield and space charge deflection of electrons as they exit the laser focus.     

A general analysis of the electromagnetic wake-fields due to a relativistic electron beam moving through a cold plasma

Summary Detailed electromagnetic analysis of the wake-field accelerator is presented. Particular attention is given to the two-dimensional dynamics model to understand how the wake-field affects the self-consistent radial dynamics of the beam. The corrent fields, in zeroth and first order, are obtained by using Fourier transform in the radial field. The self-focusing of the driving beam in a plasma is a result of the transverse wake. The ratio of the transverse wake-field to the longitudinal wake-field within the beam is calculated for small and large radii beams.     

Calculation of the interaction force between a relativistic electron beam and an Ohmic plasma channel

A formula for calculating the interaction force between a relativistic electron beam and a preformed Ohmic plasma channel with an arbitrary offset of the channel axis from the beam axis is obtained in the case of complete charge neutralization. It is shown that this force is repulsive for radial profiles of the conductivity with a peak on the channel axis. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 69–76 (June 1997)     

Bit error rate analysis of MISO FSO systems

Abstract

Multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems are employed in free space optical (FSO) links to mitigate the degrading effects of atmospheric turbulence. In this paper, we consider a MISO FSO system with practical transmitter and receiver configuration that consists of radial laser array with Gaussian beams and a Gaussian receiver aperture function. We have employed our previously derived formulation of the power scintillation in which Huygens–Fresnel principle was employed. Therefore, we choose system parameters within the range of validity of the wave structure functions. Using the on-off keying modulation and the log-normal probability distribution function, we quantify the average bit error rate (〈BER〉) of laser array beams in weak turbulence. It is observed that the radial array beams at the transmitter are more advantageous than the single Gaussian beam. However, increasing the number of array beamlets to more than three seems to have negligible effects on 〈BER〉 . It is further observed that 〈BER〉 decreases when the source size, the ring radius and the receiver aperture radius increase.     

Processes occurring in cluster plasmas and cluster beams

A method of generating a cluster beam of a refractory metal is analyzed. Clusters are formed in a high-pressure arc discharge plasma in which the refractory metal is an additive to the buffer gas. The conditions for cluster formation to occur in the intermediate region of the discharge are found, and the cluster instability, as a result of which all of the refractory metal collects in the form of clusters in this zone of the discharge, is studied. The processes studied are the basis for of a method of generating intense cluster beams. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 10, 741–746 (25 November 1998)     

Dynamics of neutralized charged particle beams in external magnetic and self fields

The dynamics of charged particle beams under the influence of their self-magnetic field and an external magnetic field is examined on the basis of equations for the trajectory of a boundary particle. A study is made of the change in the dynamics of fast particles due to the influence of the electric field of the partially neutralized space charge of the beam, the stationary electric field, and the field of the oscillations in the quasineutral beam plasma. Changes in the total beam energy caused by the self-electric field and in the longitudinal velocity owing to the self-magnetic field are taken into account. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 106–109 (August 1998)     

Scintillations of laser array beams

The scintillation index of a laser array beam is analytically derived and numerically evaluated for weak turbulence conditions. On-axis as well as off-axis positions of the receiver plane are considered. Our graphical illustrations prove that at longer propagation ranges and at some midrange radial displacement parameters, laser array beams exhibit less scintillations, when compared to a fundamental Gaussian beam. However, when compared among themselves, laser array beams tend to have reduced scintillations with rising numbers of beamlets, longer propagation wavelengths, at midrange radial displacement parameters, at intermediate Gaussian source sizes, at bigger inner scales and smaller outer scales of turbulence. However, in this improvement, the number of beamlets does not seem to have a major role. PACS 42.25.Dd; 42.25.Ja; 42.25.Kb     

An Electron Beam Initiated Fusion Neutron Generator

An experimental scheme is proposed which seems to satisfy all the requirements for use of a high energy electron beam to initiate a thermonuclear plasma. One-dimensional expansion is utilized to obtain confinement times longer than the pulse length of the electron beams. A magnetic field is used to limit the radial heat conductivity, and this magnetic field also serves as a guiding field for the electron beams when they are in the vicinity of the target. Two opposing electron beams are employed and the forces produced by these counterstreaming currents in the overlap region of the beams are sufficient to stop the beams within the target. Estimates made of all the critical factors indicate that beams achievable with current technology can be focused and stopped in T-D targets 6 cm long with densities as low as 1021 cm-3. With a containing magnetic field of 750 kilogauss the containment time of the plasma is sufficiently long so that beam pulse lengths up to 8 × 10-9 sec can be used. Furthermore a positive fusion energy yield relative to the energy delivered to the target is predicted.     

Non‐linear interaction of a q‐Gaussian laser beam in a plasma channel created by the ignitor‐heater technique

This paper presents a theoretical investigation of the propagation characteristics of a q‐Gaussian laser beam propagating through a plasma channel created by the ignitor‐heater technique. The ignitor beam creates the plasma by tunnel‐ionization of air. The heater beam heats the plasma electrons and establishes a parabolic channel. The third beam (q‐Gaussian beam) is guided in the plasma channel under the combined effects of density non‐uniformity and non‐uniform ohmic heating of the plasma channel. Numerical solutions of the non‐linear Schrodinger wave equation (NSWE) for the fields of laser beams are obtained with the help of the moment theory approach. Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamical variations of the spot size of the laser beams and the longitudinal phase shift of the guided beam with the distance of propagation.     

基于涡旋光束的超快速角向集束匀滑方案

针对惯性约束聚变装置对激光集束辐照均匀性的需求,提出了一种基于涡旋光束的超快速角向匀滑方案,即利用螺旋相位板使2×2集束中的两子束由超高斯光束变换为涡旋光束,而其余两子束不变,进而通过对子束偏振态和中心波长的调控,使集束中的涡旋光束和超高斯光束在靶面两两相干叠加.相干叠加后的焦斑以皮秒量级为周期超快速旋转,从而在极短时间内快速抹平焦斑强度调制,改善靶面辐照均匀性.通过建立基于螺旋相位板的激光超快速角向集束匀滑方案的物理模型,分析了其角向匀滑特性,并与光谱角色散技术和径向匀滑技术进行了比较分析.结果表明,这一新型激光集束匀滑方案能实现对焦斑的超快速角向匀滑,且能在数皮秒时间内达到最佳辐照均匀性.     

Formation of optical vortices using coherent laser beam arrays

We present a proposal to generate an optical vortex beam by using the coherent-superposition of multi-beams in a radially symmetric configuration. In terms of the generalized Huygens-Fresnel diffraction integral, we have derived the general propagation expression for the coherent radial arrays of laser beams. Using the derived formulae, we have analyzed the effects of the beamlet number N, the separation distance ρ of the beamlets and the topological charge m on the intensity and phase distributions of the resultant beams. Our simulation results show that optical vortices could be efficiently generated due to the coherent-superposition effect of all beamlets, during the propagation process of the coherent radial array of laser beams with the initial well-organized phase distributions through the free space. In the focusing system, the resultant beam near the focusing plane has the strong rotational effect with the phase helicity.     

Electeostatic equilibrium of a modulated electron beam in a magnetoactive plasma

The two-dimensional (axisymmetric) equilibrium of a modulated electron beam (sequence of bunches) in a magnetoactive plasma under resonance conditions, when the frequency of modulation of the beam _M is close to (less than) the plasma frequency _p, is studied. The field of the collective electrostatic wave, focusing the bunches, is compensated by the thermal repulsion of the beam electrons. Based on the solutions obtained, it is established that the external magnetic field has a twofold effect on the equilibrium beam: first, to a weakening of the radial component of the focusing field because of the appearance of anisotropy in the dielectric permittivity tensor of the plasma and, second, an additional radial focusing of the bunches when they are rotated by the Lorentz force. The regions of the beam and plasma parameters in which one or another of the indicated effects predominates are determined and the conditions for the predominance of magnetic over electrostatic focusing are found.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 3–8, March, 1985.The author thanks V. B. Krasovitskii for proposing the subject and for constant interest in this work.     

Effect of the ionization process on the focusing of a relativistic electron beam by a gas-plasma lens

A numerical simulation is made of the processes occurring in a plasma lens under conditions when the focusing of a relativistic electron beam is strongly affected by the ionization of the residual gas in the lens region by the beam itself. The paraxial, azimuthally symmetric, 1.5-dimensional, electrostatic kinetic model, taking account of plasma production, expansion of the plasma electrons away from the beam region, and contraction of the ions toward the axis of the beam, was used for the calculation. The dynamics of the formation of a focal spot is studied, and the size and position of the spot are determined as functions of time for different values of the gas pressure, initial plasma density, and energy of the beam electrons. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 90–94 (October 1997)     

Interference simulation in a cold collisionless moving magnetized plasma slab and (free surface of plasma slab)

Abstract

The pattern of intensity due to the interference in a cold collisionless magnetized moving plasma slab is investigated. Theoretically, it is assumed the mentioned layer has been located as a thin layer in an etalon Fabry–Perot interferometer surrounded by vacuum. The direction of external magnetic field is normal to the plasma surface and the plasma slab moves parallel with external constant magnetic field. By taking into account the relativistic considerations, the functions of transmitted intensity are presented coincident with the Airy function form in laboratory and plasma slab frames, respectively. The effects of plasma frequency, cyclotron frequency, thickness of plasma slab, and velocity of the plasma slab on band width, finesse factor, and visibility are simulated. Finally with the assumption that there are two wavelengths near together in incident electromagnetic beam the power resolution for this configuration are analyzed. All studies mentioned above have been done for S-polarized and P-polarized electromagnetic beams separately.     

The nonlinear transformation of an ion beam in the plasma lens

The plasma lens can carry out not only sharp focusing of ions beam. At those stages at which the magnetic field is nonlinear, formation of other interesting configurations of beams is possible. Plasma lens provides formation of hollow beams of ions. Application of the several plasma lenses allow to get a conic and a cylindrical beams. The plasma lens can be used for obtaining a beams with homogeneous spatial distribution. Calculations and measurements were performed for a C⁺⁶ and Fe⁺²⁶ beams of 200?C300 MeV/a.u.m. energy. The obtained results and analysis are reported.     

Propagation of a cos-Gaussian beam in a Kerr medium

The dynamic properties of cos-Gaussian beams in the presence of Kerr nonlinearity are investigated analytically and numerically using the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS). Based on the moments method, evolution of a cos-Gaussian beam width in the root-mean-square (RMS) sense is obtained analytically. The beam propagation factors and the critical powers of the cos-Gaussian beams with a uniform wavefront are calculated. Using numerical simulation, it is found that although the RMS beam width broadens, the central parts of the beam give rise to an initial radial compression and a significant redistribution during propagation. The partial collapse of central parts of the beam is observed below the threshold for a global collapse. The cos-Gaussian beams eventually convert into cosh-Gaussian type beams in Kerr media with low initial power.